Following the unique CNG dual-cylinder set-up in the Altroz iCNG, Tata Motors plans to do the same in its two other CNG cars, the Tiago and Tigor; the company has filed a patent for this industry-first fitment.
12 Jun 2023 | 14085 Views | By Soham Thakur, Autocar India
Tata Motors’s industry-first CNG dual-cylinder set-up, as seen in the recently launched Altroz iCNGpremium hatchback, launched at prices ranging from Rs 755,000 to Rs 10.55 lakh (ex-showroom), is set to soon find its way into the Tiago hatchback and the Tigor sedan. These two models along with the Altroz make ...
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Tata Motors’s industry-first CNG dual-cylinder set-up, as seen in the recently launched Altroz iCNG premium hatchback, launched at prices ranging from Rs 755,000 to Rs 10.55 lakh (ex-showroom), is set to soon find its way into the Tiago hatchback and the Tigor sedan. These two models along with the Altroz make up the trio of CNG-powered cars from the Tata Motors stable.
Instead of the usual single, large cylinder in the boot which completely eats up the space at the rear, Tata Motors has split the CNG tank in the Altroz iCNG into two tanks and packaged it under the boot floor, which liberates a considerable 210 litres of boot space.
The company states that the ALFA (Agile, Light, Flexible and Advanced) platform on which the Altroz is based was always designed with this set-up in mind. According to the company, the twin cylinders located below the luggage area offer the safest solution as the valves and pipes are protected under the load floor, minimising the risk of potential damage. Additionally, the enhanced rear body structure and six-point mounting system for the CNG tanks provide additional rear crash safety (as in the Altroz iCNG).
The twin-cylinder fitment in the Tata Altroz iCNG.
Tata Motors has confirmed that the Tiago hatchback and the Tigor compact sedan will also gain this setup and move away from the single-tank design they currently employ. However, these models are based on the older X0 platform, so it will be interesting to see how Tata engineers this setup in these models and whether they are able to retain the underbody-mounted spare wheel as well, like on the Altroz iCNG.
Autocar India has learnt that Tata Motors has filed a patent for this unique twin-cylinder CNG set-up. It’s already known that this will feature in the upcoming Punch iCNG, which is also underpinned by the ALFA platform and was showcased at Auto Expo 2023.
Will the Nexon get it too?
Down the line, another candidate could be the Nexon compact SUV. Tata Motors is looking to introduce CNG in segments where diesel is exiting and considering that the company’s 1.5-litre diesel engine will not be around for more than a couple of years, the Nexon could likely be the next in line to get the iCNG treatment. As buyers will look for a more frugal alternative to the Nexon’s diesel engine in the future when it is discontinued, the iCNG version may just be it and the upcoming Nexon facelift would be a good time to introduce it.
However, much like the Tiago and Tigor, the Nexon is not based on the ALFA platform, so it remains to be seen how Tata packages this setup, if and when the Nexon iCNG sees the light of day.
Bullish on CNG car demand
Tata Motors, which had entered the CNG market in FY2022 with the Tiago and the Tigor, will be looking to make strong gains with the Altroz CNG and also the Punch CNG (when it is launched). In FY2023, the carmaker retailed 40,323 units, which a 471% YoY increase albeit on a low-year-ago base (FY2022: 7,059). What is creditable is that despite its recent entry into the CNG market, Tata Motors has a 13% share of India’s CNG car market.
The CNG price cut of Rs 8 per kg (in Mumbai) a few months ago and similar levels across the country has helped accelerate demand for CNG-powered cars. Tata Motors clearly is looking to capitalise on that and has already outlined a strategic plan to sell around 150,000 CNG-powered cars and SUVs a year.
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